Switching Sides
by Hopeakaarme
Summary: There's a cure for lycanthropy: Switching the werewolf's gender. Remus is ready to take this cure, but as he becomes Remia Lupin, HER romantical relationship with Sirius goes also through some changes... COMPLETE. Dedicated to Queen Vampyre Akasha.
1. To Be or Not to Be

Disclaimer: Nope, they're not mine. You can't blame a girl for hoping, though.

A/N: Queen Vampyre Akasha requested something like this. So, this is for you, Akasha. Hope you like it - although it isn't probably as light and humorfilled as it'd be if you'd done it, it's how I like it. And yeah, it is and will always be cute and fluffy, no matter what happens.

And to those who planned to review saying, "If you want Lupin and Black together, write slash," I might remind that I've written slash, RL/SB and others, of all ratings. There.

* * *

Switching Sides

()

To Be or Not to Be

()

The door to the boys' dorm slammed open, and Remus Lupin rushed inside. Sirius, who'd been lying on his bed, raised his eyes from the Quidditch magazine in front of him and greeted happily his boyfriend. It wasn't until then that he noticed the strange look on the smaller boy's face.

"What's wrong, Moony?" he asked, genuinely concerned. "Has something happened?"

"Sirius..." Remus said with a weird tone. "They've at last found a cure for Lycanthropy."

"What?" Sirius said a bit breathlessly. "Oh, Moony, that's wonderful!" He hugged his boyfriend tightly.

"There's only one thing," the smaller boy said, struggling to get away from his embrace. "One thing that you maybe don't like."

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked, puzzled. "What possibly could disappoint me in your curing?"

"Just a tiny detail," Remus said. "Being the fact that curing me would require me turning into a girl."

Sirius just stared at him, his mouth opening and closing. He didn't seem to get a single word out of his mouth.

"It's how the thing works," Remus explained. "Lycanthropy is in our veins, our flesh - it is what we are. It can't be just cut away without somehow affecting us. But if a werewolf's body experiences a radical change, it'll burn the Lycanthropy away. It has been tested, Sirius, and it works. But there's just one thing - the change is permanent. If I accepted, I couldn't become a boy again."

Sirius still didn't say anything.

"Sirius?" Remus asked, a bit worriedly. "Sirius? Please, say something. They gave me a week to think it over, but I honestly don't know what to do. What do you think about it?"

"I - I don't know what to say," Sirius said slowly. "I mean - I love you, Moony, and I always will, no matter what. And since I am bi, I don't care if you're a boy or a girl."

"So it doesn't matter to you if I'm cured?" Remus asked, not sure how he should react.

"I never said so," Sirius said hastily. "I love you, Moony, and I want you to be happy. And I think you'd be much happier without your Lycanthropy. If that is what you want, go ahead."

"But I don't know," Remus complained. "I mean, there are quite a lot of differences between girls and boys. I wouldn't know how to live as a girl! I wouldn't know anything, honestly, it's all so damn confusing."

"I'm sure Lily could help you," Sirius said, smiling reassuringly. "But before it -" He got interrupted as the door flung open and James and Peter stormed inside, Sean Collins right on their heels.

"Oh, sorry!" James exclaimed, not looking the tiniest bit sorry, as he saw them two, Sirius's arms still around Remus. "Are we maybe interrupting something?"

"Definitely not," Sirius chuckled. "Did you hear already? Moony's going to be a girl!"

"WHAT?" the three other boys asked simultaneously.

"What did you just say, Padfoot?" James asked then again. "I surely misheard you or something. Could you please repeat?"

"Moony's going to be a girl," Sirius repeated obediently. "It's not entirely sure yet, but he's most probably going to be changed."

"What? Why?" Peter asked, announcing all the three boys' confusion.

"Well, because of my - condition," Remus said very carefully, eyeing warily Sean, who was yet to discover the truth about his Lycanthropy, "I've been offered a choice. I can either stay like I am, or get cured and turn into a girl."

"What condition?" Sean wondered. "Cured? Are you ill of some kind, Remus?"

Peter calmly drew his wand and pointed it at the tall, lanky brunette. "Obliviate," he murmured, and a flash of light hit the other boy.

"Um... What now?" Sean asked as he recovered of the spell, obviously lost. "What happened? Did you say something?"

"Nothing important," Remus said, trying to hide a sigh of relief. "I thought you were going to go to the library?"

"What? Oh, yes, right. To the library, indeed. How could I forget that?" Sean turned around. "Well, see you," he said, leaving the room. As he closed the door behind him, the four Marauders glanced at the ceiling and sighed simultaneously.

"You have to teach me that trick some day, Peter," Sirius said in awe. "He was completely lost!"

"And that's not because of you, I might add," Remus said, glaring at his sheepishly grinning boyfriend. "Honestly, can't you ever think before you act?"

"Are you sure you aren't a girl already?" James asked cheekily. "Because you sound a whole lot like Lily - Ouch!" he exclaimed as Remus's book hit his head. "Okay, okay, sorry! But what was that all about?"

"Well, the wizard scientists have seemingly noticed that changing the werewolf's gender can burn the Lycanthropy away," Remus explained them. "The only problem is, the change is permanent. So I'm rather lost about whether to do it or not."

"Of course you accept," James said right away. "Just think about it, Moony! You could get any job you want, could do anything you want, and no one would run after you waving Ministry registries! And you wouldn't have to transform, you could stay human all the time, and -"

"And you'd have PMS and menstruating and raging girl hormones," Peter finished. "What?" he asked as he noticed the three glares pointed at him. "It's true!"

"I guess Wormtail is right," Remus sighed. "I shouldn't make this decision too quickly. I have a week to think this over, and I want to have a talk with Lily first. But no more burst-outs," he added, glaring at Sirius. "At least not before I've at least decided to actually do it!"

"Why do you look at me?" Sirius asked, playing innocent. "I'd never do anything like that!"

"Maybe you should Obliviate him as well, Peter," James suggested. "At least we could be sure he isn't going to tell anyone."

"Hey, hey - you can't do that!" Sirius cried out. "He's my boyfriend after all! I have the right to know what's going on with him! And I'm definitely not going to walk in the corridor some day and notice that I have a girlfriend instead of a boyfriend!

"What do you think, James?" Peter asked, grinning as he pointed his wand at Sirius. "Should I do it?"

"Whatever," James shrugged, replying the grin. "Maybe we should ask Moony." He glanced at the werewolf. "Moony? May we spell your lousy lover out of his mind?" he asked.

"Not right now," Remus said absent-mindedly. "Sirius knows that he won't get away without consequences if he tells someone. Don't you, Sirius?" The last question was accompanied by a sharp gaze, both targeted at the tall teen next to him.

"Something like that," Sirius admitted with a sheepish grin.

"Besides," added Peter, now digging through the contents of his trunk, "I don't think that anything could get Padfoot more out of his mind than he is already." Dodging a pillow with five years' skill, the small boy laughed at his friend's expression. Remus and James joined his laughter delightedly.

"Fine, be that way," Sirius said, and pouted. "Be against me, you all." Faking a sob, he continued, "I knew all along that you don't really care about me, Remus..."

"Oh, for the love of Godric, shut up at last," Remus sighed, then leant forward to meet Sirius's lips in a warm, tender kiss. James and Peter glanced at first at them, then at each other.

Then, knowing all too well what they'd witness if they didn't leave in time, they slipped out of the dormitory.


	2. Seeking Answers

Disclaimer: No, they aren't mine. Any OCs and the insane plot are, though.

A/N: This is still decicated to Queen Vampyre Akasha. May it be enjoyed greatly.

And Akasha, I'm still waiting to see that update on StH. .

* * *

Switching Sides

Seeking Answers

* * *

"So you're going to trade one monthly hell to another?" Lily asked with a little smile.

Remus snorted. "I don't honestly think anything could be as hellish as the transformation," he pointed out dryly.

"You'd be surprised," the girl replied. "Okay, enough about that already. But are you really sure about what you're doing?"

"Of course I'm not," Remus sighed. "How could I be? This is a hell of decision to make! But I don't think being a girl could be worse than being a werewolf, considering that half of the society seems to handle it rather well."

"What do your other friends say, then? And your family, what about them?" Lily continued her questioning.

"Sirius says he doesn't really mind, since he's bi," Remus replied with a dry smile. "James says he thinks I should accept, and Peter is yet to state his opinion. My parents will go with whatever decision I make. They say that it's my body, after all, so I should have a say in whatever is done to it."

"Well, I think you should do it," Lily said after a moment of thinking. "After all, you are right about us girls surviving being girls... And while there are restrictions for werewolves, I can hardly think of any that would only concern witches." Then she flashed him a bright smile, and added, "Besides, if you now get mad, the Ministry won't take it easily. But, if you are a girl, nobody wonders if you're mad - at least once a month."

"Thank you, Lily," Remus said, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling. "You always know how to cheer me up, just like a true friend."

"Hey, that's my job," she grinned. "Anyway, if you do decide to do it, I'm more than willing to help you settling into a girl's life. I'm sure my friends will gladly help you, too."

"Just what I need," groaned the werewolf, but his eyes were glinting with both gratefulness and amusement.

()

All their classmates looked curious as the three Marauders walked in the class.

"Where's Lupin?" Charlotte Thomas asked curiously. "He usually never misses classes - besides when he's sick."

"That's one of the things I'd tell you, should you only shut up for a while," Professor McGonagall said dryly.

Charlotte blushed a bit and snapped her mouth closed. Then she fixed her eyes on the professor, as did all the others.

"I see that you have already noticed the absence of one of your classmates," the professor began as they had all become quiet. "I've been asked to inform you that Mr. Lupin won't come back to us."

"What?" Random shocked cries bursted out among the students.

"Why he won't return?" asked Melissa Dragon, one of the most sensitive girls, swallowing back tears.

"As you have surely noticed, Remus was sick more often than just an average student," McGonagall went on without caring about their reactions. "Now we've found out that he had a rare hereditary sickness."

Sirius, James and Peter sat stone-faced staring in front of them. Nothing could be read from their expressions by the concerned gazes of the other students. They had heard this cover-story before, noticed the possiblities of the situation it was told in, and decided to take all the possible fun out of it.

"This sickness has been transferred in his mother's family, for there hasn't been sons for over a century," the professor continued the big, dirty lie. "Unfortunately for him, Remus is the first son in this line, and therefore has herited the sickness."

She was quiet for a moment. Nobody dared to say anything. They just stared at her, waiting for her to continue.

"However, it's also known that there's no way to change the gene that causes this sickness. The only way to get rid of it is death." She made again a little pause before continuing, "I'm here to tell you that Remus doesn't have to suffer of his sickness anymore."

Now some of the girls screamed in surprise and shock, and many had tears in their eyes. Remus hadn't maybe been very social person, but everyone had known him and he had been well-liked. Most of the students glanced carefully at the Marauders and especially Sirius, who had bent his head down, letting his long black hair cover his face. Everyone thought he was trying to cover his tears, and they'd been most surprised if they had seen the bright smile on his face.

"Calm down!" McGonagall commanded. "Young Lupin is currently doing very well, there are no reasons for such a fuss."

"But you said -" someone started, but got interrupted.

"I said that he doesn't suffer of the illness anymore," she said and rolled her eyes. "The defective gene can't be changed, but it can be made ineffective. As I also said, the female ones in his family don't suffer of this."

"You don't mean -" Charlotte started, but didn't finish the sentence. It was too bizarre to even think about!

"Indeed," McGonagall said. She even smiled a bit. "Young Mr. Lupin won't come back, but I'm sure that you'll soon meet a very nice new girl. Remus has accepted to take a gender change charm."

This made most of them at first sigh in relief. Then they had more time to think about it. Most of the girls giggled like crazys, and the boys laughed from the top of their lungs at the thought of Remus as a girl.

"At last you get an official girlfriend, Black!" Marc Smith exclaimed.

"Can't say I'm complaining," Sirius shrugged, then grinned broadly. "Although when I have sometimes troubles understanding Moony when he's a boy, I'll never understand anything when she's a girl..." At this, many girls shrieked their protests, throwing quills towards him. Soon, the relief, excitement, and dissolving of their former fears made the whole class start throwing things around like a bunch of five-year-olds.

"Oh, Merlin," muttered McGonagall under her breath. "Why didn't I take my mother's advice and become a dragon tamer like my sister? It'd be so much easier..."

* * *

Next Chapter: **Coming Out**

We're introduced to the new Gryffindor girl, Remia Julienne Lupin.


	3. Coming Out

Disclaimer: Believe me, I don't own them... Other than the plot and OCs, of course.

A/N: Akasha, this is still for you.

And I'm still looking forward to see more of StH.

* * *

Switching Sides

Coming Out

Rachel Jones, a fifth year, was one of the few people in the Gryffindor Common Room. In fact, she was the only one excluding a group of almost all sixth year Gryffindors gathered in one corner. Only Remus Lupin seemed to be short of their full amount.

Rachel was currently sitting right next to the portrait hole, revising her Charms homework, as the portrait opened and a girl wearing the school uniform stepped inside. She was a small brunette Rachel had never seen before, yet she was familiar in some way. "Um... I'm sorry, but who are you?" Rachel asked, rather confused. "I don't think I've seen you before."

"Oh, yes you have," the strange girl said, smiling a bit. "Although it's quite understandable that you don't recognize me. My name is Remia. Remia Lupin."

As she said these words, a dark head popped up over the back of the largest armchair in the corner where the sixth-years were currently siting. "Moony!" Sirius Black exclaimed. Then he jumped over the arm of the chair and ran to the girl, pulling her into a big hug once he got near enough.

"Oh, Sirius!" she exclaimed, raising her hands in mock horror. "Let go, you're cracking my ribs!"

Black smiled and pulled away. He held the girl on the shoulders and examined her from the arm's reach. "You look stunning," he praised.

"Thank you," the girl said, flushing only the tiniest bit. "I honestly can't say how I look. This is all so confusing."

"Believe me, you look great." Black turned her around so they both faced the corner he had come from. The other boys were standing as well, watching with great interest at the events. "Hey, boys! Don't we agree that our little Moony looks _hot_?"

"Hell yeah!" rose a simultaneous yell from the boy group, making the girl - Remia? - blush a little bit more.

Rachel blinked. She wasn't quite aware of the current events anymore. What exactly was happening? Why was Black getting intimate with a strange girl, when everyone in the whole school knew that he and Lupin were an item? And - wait a minute - _Remia Lupin_? And had they just called her _Moony_? That had been the Lupin boy's nickname, right?

But the Lupin boy wasn't there. There was only a Lupin girl, with honey locks halfway down her back, amber eyes glittering in the candle light, and a short, slender frame with pale skin covering it.

Considering that the Lupin boy had honey locks down to his shoulders, amber eyes, pale skin and a short and slender frame, the main features seemed to fit rather well. Why and how and when were minor points now. The fact was that this seemed to be Remus Lupin - turned to a female.

"Are you Remus Lupin?" Rachel piped up. She regretted it at the same moment as Black glared at her, but she just had to know.

"No," the girl replied. "Like I said already, I'm Remia Lupin. Remia Julienne Lupin, to be exact." Then she smiled. "But if you mean, if I _was_ Remus Lupin, then, well, I was. Until this evening, that is."

"Right," Black grinned. "So the bets have been at last reached their end - I've got a girlfriend!"

Everyone laughed. It was well known that before his relationship with Remus had come public, a whole lot of girls from all houses had started to place bets for how long it would take from Sirius to get a proper girlfriend. Of course they had tried to make it happen in all ways possible - some of the most desperate had even sneaked to the dorm Sirius was sleeping in at night, only to be hit by Peter's rather effective curses, James's hexes and Remus's nails in their eyes - until Sirius had at last cracked up and yelled at some Ravenclaws that he was perfectly fine without a girlfriend, would be fine without one, and that he had a wonderful boyfriend whom he loved more than anything. This had made part of the girls' action cease, but not all of it, at least not after they'd revealed that Sirius wasn't actually gay but bisexual, so some girls thought they still stood a change. Gryffindors of course didn't anymore participate in this, since they knew Sirius had eyes only for Remus, but girls from all the three other houses were still trying to lure the Pride of Gryffindor to themselves.

Now all their plans would be ruined. At the same moment they would find out that Sirius had indeed a girlfriend, but hadn't given up his old lover, they'd most probably lose their last hope - although one could never be sure, when it came to the Ravenclaw girls. They were merely a bunch of bitches in Rachel's mind.

She watched as Black playfully picked Lupin on his arms, like he had done so many times before, and began carrying the laughing and struggling girl towards their peers.

Then she shook hear head and turned the page in her book. She could only imagine how the life in the Gryffindor Tower would change.

* * *

The Next Chapter: **Make-up Mishap**

Hearing that Remia's big sister and mother have sent her some make-up and clothes, her new dormmates decide to make her as pretty as possible. And Sirius truly appreciates their efforts.


	4. MakeUp Mishap

Disclaimer: They belong to JKR. I just play with them for a while. Oh, and of course any OCs are mine.

A/N: At last! My computer and seem to be in a conspirancy against I updating this... But, Akasha (finally) updated StH, so I'm updating this!

Oh, and the reason why there are so many people on their year now and in the next chapters: I've heard that in some interview, JKR had said that there are about 1000 people in Hogwarts. (I don't know if she's truly said that, but so it is in my Fandom.) That's 250 per House, so it's about 36-37 on one year - or, about 18 boys and 18 girls on each year in each House. That results with at least 4 dorms for both boys and girls on the sixth year in the Gryffindor Tower.

Oh, and forgive me for not descriping Remia's make-up, but I don't use such things myself, so I wouldn't have a clue.

* * *

Switching Sides

Make-Up Mishaps

* * *

The sixth years had a cheerful evening. Everyone shot questions at Remia, who was sitting rather comfortably in Sirius's lap. She wasn't any smaller than she had been as a male, but somehow she looked to fit on his boyfriend's legs better than before.

"So the empty bed in our dorm is for you," realized Sarah Grayson, one of Lily's dormmates - and, seemingly, Remia's, too. "We've been wondering who it is for. Lily here seemed to know something, but of course she wouldn't tell us anything." She gave her friend an accusing glance. "You could have at least warned us beforehand!"

"But what fun would that be?" asked Lily slyly, making everyone laugh aloud.

"Merlin help us," groaned Mickey White, covering his eyes with his hand. "Evans, you've spent too much time with Black, Potter, Lupin, and Pettigrew. A bit more, and you'll be as bad as they are!"

"Well, at least in Lupin's case, she'll only spend more time with them," giggled Chloe Santorini, another one of Lily's dormmates. The last one, Juliet Gardner, simply smiled.

"Hey, I know!" exclaimed Sarah suddenly. No matter how much like the Marauders Lily was, Sarah was the one of the girls with most new ideas. "What about helping her get known to her dorm immediately?"

"Don't take her away from me!" exclaimed Sirius in protest, trying to cling on his newly turned girlfriend. The others watched in amusement as a groaning Sirius pulled one of her hands and giggling Sarah, Lily, and Juliet the other. Chloe decided to just stand back and watch the "contest," and Remia simply laughed and struggled against it at the same time.

At last, however, the combined power of the girl group won even the Black Beater, and Remia was halfly dragged towards her new dorm. She was at first suspicious about the staircase - the results of some boys trying to walk up them were still well in memory - but at last, she decided to try. To her great surprise, there were no nasty traps. Seemingly, she was already a girl enough to go to their dorms.

Once up to their dorm, Remia glanced around her. "Definitely lighter and more comfortable than the boys' dormitories," she muttered to herself.

"Isn't it?" grinned Lily, leaning back on her bed. It was weird, in a way, to think about Remia the girl and not Remus the boy. Of course she knew that his or her character would be just the same, as well as his interests and other things, but Remia was still somehow different from Remus. Even during the short time she'd known the new girl, she'd already managed to figure out that much.

"What the heck I'm supposed to do with these?" an angry voice shook her out of her thoughts.

"With what?" Juliet asked. They all turned their heads towards Remia, who was the one who had spoken.

"With these," she answered and lifted up a small bag. "My big sister sent me makeup!"

They all laughed. Then Lily noticed Remia's hurt expression and stopped giggling. "Okay, sorry," she said. "I think you're supposed to use them. You can try, if you want - we can help you."

The newest girl looked thoughtful for a while. Then she shrugged. "Okay," she said, and grinned. "If I have a girl's body, I might as well live like one." Then she crumbled her eyebrows. "So, pray tell me... How do you use this stuff?"

After a whole hour of trying, testing, advising and giggling they had managed to make Remia up properly to their mind. Then Sarah noticed a pile of other stuff on Remia's bed.

"What are those?" she asked curiously.

"What?" the small brunette turned around to see what she was pointing at. She blushed slightly. "Oh," she said. "My mom sent me some girls' clothes - skirts and blouses and the like."

Juliet, who never was one to hesitate much, ran to the clothes. "Oh, look at these!" she exclaimed. "If my mom sent me stuff like this, I'd faint for happiness!" She lifted up some skirt that especially caught her eye.

"Woah," Chloe breathed. "Hey, I know! If we've made you up, we could as well dress you!"

Now Remia tried to refuse, but they chose to ignore her, starting to glance through her new clothes. After a while they had chosen a dark blue skirt and a bit lighter blue sweater with glitter threads knit into it. After they had managed to make her really wear them, Juliet decided to braid her hair. The other girls watched with great amusement as poor Remia had to sit perfectly still while her hair was braided on a long, tight braid.

When they then had her dressed, her hair done, and with makeup, even Lily had to admit that she was impressed by the change in her old friend. Remia looked cautiously at her reflection in the big mirror. "Well, I suppose that's... okay," she said carefully.

"Okay?" Chloe echoed. "That's perfect! Let's go and show you to Black!"

"Hey, I don't think -" Remia started, but they ignored her protests completely. They practically dragged her out of the dorm and to the Common Room, where all the other sixth years still were sitting. There were also students from other years, watching them curiously, but they chose to ignore them.

"Hey, Sirius!" Lily shouted. "Look at your girlfriend now!"

Now everyone in the room was surely staring at them, but they still didn't care. They merely shoved Remia towards the sixth-years' corner. At last she ended up in front of Sirius, switching her weight carefully from one foot to another.

"Woah," Sirius breathed, staring at her. "Moony, you look - you look perfect!"

'You see?' Chloe mouthed to Remia, but she was too nervous at the moment to even notice her new dormmate's words.

At last, Sirius noticed that the silence was becoming more and more awkward. Therefore, he decided to put his cheek into the game again. "Can you still come and hug me?" he asked teasingly. "Or would that ruin your perfect makeup?"

"Shut up, you prick," smirked Remia, immediately shaking off her fear. She went right to Sirius and sat back to his lap, hugging him tightly. In no time at all, they were both hugging each other warmly, Remia's face pressed against the crook of Sirius's neck.

"And nothing more than that, please," said James's cheerful voice then. "That much I can bear, but if you two started snogging here, I don't think I could bear that."

Sirius smirked and loosened his embrace, while Remia actually blushed slightly. This, of course, caused quite a lot of giggling and whispering among the others - no matter how effeminate and sensitive Remus may have seemed sometimes, he'd never blushed. Never, until now.

Well, like one could say, it was about the time.

Seemingly Remia thought that way, too, at least after Sirius said that she was cute when she blushed and kissed her cheek, thus making her blush even more.

Switching Sides

Make-Up Mishaps

The sixth years had a cheerful evening. Everyone shot questions at Remia, who was sitting rather comfortably in Sirius's lap. She wasn't any smaller than she had been as a male, but somehow she looked to fit on his boyfriend's legs better than before.

"So the empty bed in our dorm is for you," realized Sarah Grayson, one of Lily's dormmates - and, seemingly, Remia's, too. "We've been wondering who it is for. Lily here seemed to know something, but of course she wouldn't tell us anything." She gave her friend an accusing glance. "You could have at least warned us beforehand!"

"But what fun would that be?" asked Lily slyly, making everyone laugh aloud.

"Merlin help us," groaned Mickey White, covering his eyes with his hand. "Evans, you've spent too much time with Black, Potter, Lupin, and Pettigrew. A bit more, and you'll be as bad as they are!"

"Well, at least in Lupin's case, she'll only spend more time with them," giggled Chloe Santorini, another one of Lily's dormmates. The last one, Juliet Gardner, simply smiled.

"Hey, I know!" exclaimed Sarah suddenly. No matter how much like the Marauders Lily was, Sarah was the one of the girls with most new ideas. "What about helping her get known to her dorm immediately?"

"Don't take her away from me!" exclaimed Sirius in protest, trying to cling on his newly turned girlfriend. The others watched in amusement as a groaning Sirius pulled one of her hands and giggling Sarah, Lily, and Juliet the other. Chloe decided to just stand back and watch the "contest," and Remia simply laughed and struggled against it at the same time.

At last, however, the combined power of the girl group won even the Black Beater, and Remia was halfly dragged towards her new dorm. She was at first suspicious about the staircase - the results of some boys trying to walk up them were still well in memory - but at last, she decided to try. To her great surprise, there were no nasty traps. Seemingly, she was already a girl enough to go to their dorms.

Once up to their dorm, Remia glanced around her. "Definitely lighter and more comfortable than the boys' dormitories," she muttered to herself.

"Isn't it?" grinned Lily, leaning back on her bed. It was weird, in a way, to think about Remia the girl and not Remus the boy. Of course she knew that his or her character would be just the same, as well as his interests and other things, but Remia was still somehow different from Remus. Even during the short time she'd known the new girl, she'd already managed to figure out that much.

"What the heck I'm supposed to do with these?" an angry voice shook her out of her thoughts.

"With what?" Juliet asked. They all turned their heads towards Remia, who was the one who had spoken.

"With these," she answered and lifted up a small bag. "My big sister sent me makeup!"

They all laughed. Then Lily noticed Remia's hurt expression and stopped giggling. "Okay, sorry," she said. "I think you're supposed to use them. You can try, if you want - we can help you."

The newest girl looked thoughtful for a while. Then she shrugged. "Okay," she said, and grinned. "If I have a girl's body, I might as well live like one." Then she crumbled her eyebrows. "So, pray tell me... How do you use this stuff?"

After a whole hour of trying, testing, advising and giggling they had managed to make Remia up properly to their mind. Then Sarah noticed a pile of other stuff on Remia's bed.

"What are those?" she asked curiously.

"What?" the small brunette turned around to see what she was pointing at. She blushed slightly. "Oh," she said. "My mom sent me some girls' clothes - skirts and blouses and the like."

Juliet, who never was one to hesitate much, ran to the clothes. "Oh, look at these!" she exclaimed. "If my mom sent me stuff like this, I'd faint for happiness!" She lifted up some skirt that especially caught her eye.

"Woah," Chloe breathed. "Hey, I know! If we've made you up, we could as well dress you!"

Now Remia tried to refuse, but they chose to ignore her, starting to glance through her new clothes. After a while they had chosen a dark blue skirt and a bit lighter blue sweater with glitter threads knit into it. After they had managed to make her really wear them, Juliet decided to braid her hair. The other girls watched with great amusement as poor Remia had to sit perfectly still while her hair was braided on a long, tight braid.

When they then had her dressed, her hair done, and with makeup, even Lily had to admit that she was impressed by the change in her old friend. Remia looked cautiously at her reflection in the big mirror. "Well, I suppose that's... okay," she said carefully.

"Okay?" Chloe echoed. "That's perfect! Let's go and show you to Black!"

"Hey, I don't think -" Remia started, but they ignored her protests completely. They practically dragged her out of the dorm and to the Common Room, where all the other sixth years still were sitting. There were also students from other years, watching them curiously, but they chose to ignore them.

"Hey, Sirius!" Lily shouted. "Look at your girlfriend now!"

Now everyone in the room was surely staring at them, but they still didn't care. They merely shoved Remia towards the sixth-years' corner. At last she ended up in front of Sirius, switching her weight carefully from one foot to another.

"Woah," Sirius breathed, staring at her. "Moony, you look - you look perfect!"

'You see?' Chloe mouthed to Remia, but she was too nervous at the moment to even notice her new dormmate's words.

At last, Sirius noticed that the silence was becoming more and more awkward. Therefore, he decided to put his cheek into the game again. "Can you still come and hug me?" he asked teasingly. "Or would that ruin your perfect makeup?"

"Shut up, you prick," smirked Remia, immediately shaking off her fear. She went right to Sirius and sat back to his lap, hugging him tightly. In no time at all, they were both hugging each other warmly, Remia's face pressed against the crook of Sirius's neck.

"And nothing more than that, please," said James's cheerful voice then. "That much I can bear, but if you two started snogging here, I don't think I could bear that."

Sirius smirked and loosened his embrace, while Remia actually blushed slightly. This, of course, caused quite a lot of giggling and whispering among the others - no matter how effeminate and sensitive Remus may have seemed sometimes, he'd never blushed. Never, until now.

Well, like one could say, it was about the time.

Seemingly Remia thought that way, too, at least after Sirius said that she was cute when she blushed and kissed her cheek, thus making her blush even more.

* * *

Next Chapter: **The Benefits of Lacking Estrogen**

As the girls are going to take a shower before going to sleep, Remia notices something odd. This results in a group visit to at first the boys' dorms, then Professor Flitwick.


	5. The Benefits of Lacking Estrogen

Disclaimer: I only own the OC and the plot. Everything else is JKR's.

A/N: ::sticks a tongue out to Akasha:: I'm updating more than you!

* * *

Switching Sides

The Benefits of Lacking Estrogen

* * *

As the sixth years at last ended their little "meeting," the girls in Remia's new dormitory decided to have a shower before going to sleep.

Juliet was just trying to decide which one of her nightshirts she'd put on after the shower. Her bath towel lay beside her on the bed. Suddenly, she noticed that Remia watching her closely - or, rather, her towel. "Have you done something to your towel?" the other girl asked, frowning.

Juliet glanced at her, surprised. "No - at last I don't think so. Why do you ask?"

"It just - it just doesn't seem right." Taking the large bath towel to her hand and her own to the other, Remia studied them both closely. Then she shook her head. "These are not the same," she said. "Your towel seems to be almost transparent, Juliet."

"What?" demanded the other girl, astonished. "You must be kidding. To me it looks just normal."

Shaking her head again, Remia pursed her lips. "There's something wrong," she insisted. "I wonder if..." She snapped her fingers, her eyes lighting up in sudden realization. "May I check something?"

Juliet looked a bit wondering, but nodded all the same. "Sure, go ahead," she said. "But I don't really see the reason."

As soon as she'd said this, Remia stormed out of the dormitory. Exchanging curious glances, the other girls followed her.

They went down the staircase, then up the one leading to the boys' dormitories. Not even bothering to knock, Remia banged to doors of a particular one of the sixth-year boys' dorm open. Fortunately, none of the boys had taken their clothes off yet. Sirius sat on the edge of his bed, chatting with James, while Peter was searching something from his trunk. As the door opened, all boys looked at them, astonished.

"Remy?" asked Sirius in surprise. "Why are you here?"

"Do you see any difference in these?" snapped the girl, not bothering to answer, merely reaching out the two towels in her hands.

Frowning, Sirius shook slowly his head. "What do you mean, 'these?'" he asked, sounding confused. "I only see one towel."

"Me too," James said, frowning also. "Is this some kind of a joke?" He eyed warily the group of girls behind Remia's back.

"No, it isn't," the former werewolf snapped back. "But I have a feeling that somebody's in for some trouble." With that, she whirled around, the now fuming girls following her.

"What are we going to do?" asked Sarah.

"At first, we're going to have a look at the other towels," Remia muttered. "Then, if there's a single one other charmed like this, we're going to find some professor."

"Right," Lily agreed. "I don't care that it's late, I want justice!"

A quick examination told that all the girls' bath towels, minus Remia's, were charmed the same way. After a peek to the other sixth-year girls' dorms they'd determined that the problem was the same everywhere. Not even bothering to talk to the other years, the girls decided to go and find some teacher.

"I'm voting for Professor Flitwick," said Juliet. "He's teaching Charms. Even if he can't see the towel, he'll surely see the charm on it."

Agreeing to this, they arranged a group. Lily, Remia, and Chloe decided to go from their dormitory, accompanied by two girls from each of the other three dormitories. This vengeful group slipped out of the Gryffindor Tower, one of the charmed towels tightly kept in Remia's hand as a proof.

Coming to the Charms professor's quarters, Remia knocked on the door. After a moment, Professor Flitwick came to open the door. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the large group of Gryffindor girls.

"By Rowena, my dear girls, why are you here at this hour?" he asked, astonished.

"We think that somebody's charmed our stuff," Lily told him. "And we need your help to figure out who and how."

"Very well," he said. "Come in, girls." As they'd got inside the man's office, he asked, "Now, what is it that has been charmed?"

Every girl turned to look at Remia, who didn't stay wordless. "Look at this!" she ordered, reaching something out to the Charms professor.

Professor Flitwick frowned. "I see nothing," he said warily, eyeing the girls like expecting a prank.

"That's just the problem," explained Chloe. "It is a bath towel. We girls see it very clearly - but boys see right through it!"

Now the tiny wizard's eyes widened. "Very well," he muttered. "Please, place it on my desk. I'll immediately have a look at it."

"Better be so," Juliet muttered. "We've walked to the showers wearing only these about forever. If boys have managed to see us or even to take pictures of us in those, we could have just as well been naked!"

Nodding slowly, the wizard muttered some odd incantation, flicking his wand above the towel. Seeing the results, he nodded. "A truly brilliant charm," he told to the young witches. "The transparency of the towel depends on the amount - or almost the mere existence - of estrogen in the person's body. That's why you could see it, but to any wizard, it could just as well not exist."

"So that's why Remia noticed it," Lily muttered. "Having just recently been turned into a female, her body is still just producing estrogen, so she could see the difference between a charmed and an uncharmed towel."

"That's the most probable reason," the tiny wizard agreed.

"Can you tell who has done it?" asked the mentioned girl curiously.

"Of course. I just need to see the Gryffindor boys so I can compare the magical traces to theirs. Catching the guilty one or ones shouldn't be that hard."

Exchanging delighted glances, the girls smirked. Somebody was going to _pay_.

* * *

The Next Chapter: **Male Troubles**

James and Sirius talk, which will eventually lead into Peter finding them from a rather suspicious/embarrassing state.


	6. Male Conversations

Disclaimer: JKR owns them all.

A/N: General madness ensues...

Oh, and as I'm a girl, I have no idea what guys talk with each other. So, I'm just making up whatever fits the story.

::a pointed glance at _Akasha_:: You now owe me 2 chapters to **Save the Hybrid**!

* * *

Switching Sides

Male Conversations

* * *

The boys glanced at each other wonderingly as the door closed after the girls.

"D'you know what that was about?" asked James curiously.

Sirius shook his head slowly. "Wouldn't have a clue," he admitted.

"Most probably it was some girl thing we aren't even supposed to understand," said Peter, shrugging. "After all, when have girls done anything sensible?"

Sirius got a funny look on his face. "But it shouldn't affect Moony yet... should it?" he asked, sounding a bit confused. "She's been a girl for just a few hours! She should still be just normal!"

"Her mind is the same as before, true," agreed James, "but she already wears girls' clothes and make-up. Maybe it's just the way girls' brains work. Who knows?"

"Not me, at least," muttered the other raven-haired teen. "Let's just hope that she won't be much different from what _he_ was."

"Professor McGonagall said that her personality would be just the same," Peter reminded him.

"And Paddy," James said with a grin, "you loved Moony even when he had a tail and fur. Surely it's not that hard to love her now, when she's at least a human all the time?"

"Besides, it's not like Moony was very different from a girl to begin with -- mph." Peter's cheeky comments were effectively silenced by the pillow Sirius threw at him. "Jamie's right, anyway," the small boy said then with a grin. "You love Moony, regardless of his or her gender. Now, free your inner bi and relax! It's not like this could come between you two -- unless she's now even more intelligent than before and realizes that she'd better break up with you."

This time, Sirius didn't have a pillow nearby. Therefore, Peter would have been hit by a Charms textbook, had he not been quick enough to duck.

For some time, they all were quiet, each going on their own things. Then, suddenly, the silence was broken by a sudden comment. "Jamie?" asked Sirius.

"Hmm-mm?" mumbled James in response.

"How's dating a girl different from dating a boy?"

Giving him a disbelieving look, James rolled around to lie on his back. "You're not serious, are you? And don't give me that ancient pun," he added with a sigh just as Sirius opened his mouth to say something.

"I am serious, however," Sirius then said, frowning. "I've only had a couple of girlfriends, and all of them were for so short time and so long ago that I don't have a clue."

"Aren't they just the same?" asked Peter, sounding confused. "If a girl dates a boy, and a boy dates a girl, they both are in the same relationship, right?"

"No!" exclaimed Sirius and James in unison. Then James added, "There have always been things I've been able to do or say to Lily and Paddy couldn't to Moony, and the other way around. But back then, it was rather easy to Paddy, 'cause he could just do what he wanted Moony to do to him. Now, however, we both have a girlfriend, and our dear friend doesn't know what to do -- right, Paddy?"

"I thought that _was_ rather clear in my statement," grumbled Sirius. "It's not my fault if your brains cannot grasp all details." Then, noticing the two other boys staring at him, he snapped, "What?"

"Erm -- nothing, nothing at all," Peter said sheepishly. "It's just that -- for a moment, you sounded exactly like Moony there."

"I did?" Sirius looked astonished. "Oh, well. Must be rubbing off on me, then."

"Must be so," James murmured. Then he settled more comfortably on his bed. "So, Paddy-boy -- ready for your how-to-treat-my-girlfriend-the-right-way lecture?"

"Go ahead," said Sirius, nodding.

"I'm not interested," Peter mumbled. "It's not like I'd ever get one -- not that I wanted one, either, I happen to prefer boys. I'm going to the Common Room, I'll be back after a moment."

"Fine," James said, waving his hand dismissively. Then he looked at Sirius and said, "At first, you must not blame me if Moony's not happy with your behaviour. Most of the time Lily's not happy with _my_ behaviour. It's almost impossible to tell exactly what girls want from boys. But, I'm sure I can give you a few tips." As Sirius nodded, he continued, "At first, the worst -- _that_ time of the month. From the little I've gathered, the -- um -- _period _is not really hard to girls, at least not so much. Instead, it's the Pre-Menstrual Syndrome that flips them off. Whenever she has that, or you even _think_ she has that, do everything just like she wants, talk sweetly, help her with everything, and never, ever say that anything is her fault. That way, you can maybe avoid most severe physical damage."

Sirius watched him closely, looking slightly disbelieving. "How bad can it be, then?"

James sighed. Time for his friend to face the reality. "Paddy," he said, "PMS has been successfully used as a mitigating circumstance when one's accused of a murder or other violent crimes1."

Sirius's face paled considerably. "You'd better be kidding," he whispered.

"Unfortunately, I'm not," James replied with a haughty chuckle. "I doubt Remy's going to get that bad, however. If you're lucky, she'll be a bit more sensitive than usually. If you're very unlucky, well... let's say that if you give her enough of the chocolate, flowers and such, and don't even consider making any contact with her if she doesn't clearly want that, you might survive."

"I think I'm in a deep, deep shit indeed," muttered Sirius gloomily.

James, however, just laughed. "Don't worry, most of the involved male population in the world deals with the same problems, myself included, and we're all still alive. And, if you ask me, it's definitely worth the trouble," he then added, grinning. "Even otherwise, you have to be oh-so _considerate_ and _polite_ and generally a _gentleman_. Although as Moony has still the same personality, she won't hopefully be as picky as the worst girls."

"That should not be so hard," said Sirius, "considering that gentlemanly behaviour is what my Mother has been banging into my head for the whole of my life."

"And, of course, if you want to get any further, you have to learn how to unhook a bra."

Sirius blinked a couple of times, then groaned aloud. "Oh, no," he whined. "Of all the bad things in existence, you have to remind me of that?"

Grinning wickedly, James nodded. One of the very few girlfriends Sirius had had before happily settling on Remus had left him because he couldn't unhook a bra without at least five minutes of fumbling and cursing. "Face the reality, Paddy," chuckled James. "Moony's a girl now, therefore, she wears a bra. And therefore, you have to learn how to unhook it."

"How on earth am I going to accomplish that?" groaned Sirius.

"Practice, my friend, practice," advised the bespectacled boy with an even broader grin than he'd previously had.

"Practice?! You mean I should go to the next girl in a corridor and say, 'I'm sorry, Miss, but can I practice unhooking your bra so I won't disappoint my girlfriend?'"

"Of course not, you daft," laughed James. "I only meant --" he reached a hand dramatically towards his half-open trunk, and then inside it, "-- this!"

For a moment, Sirius just stared at the thing in James's hand. Then he bursted into laughter. "My, my, Jamesie, I didn't know you had that kind of hobby," he cackled. "Why you never told us?"

"Shut up, you prat," James huffed. "Lily left these accidentally when -- well, you probably don't need to know the details. Anyway, you can practice unhooking these."

"How?" asked Sirius, frowning. "It's a bit different to do that when the bra's just lying on the bed than when somebody's wearing it."

"Fine, then," sighed James. Then he started to wrap the bra around his upper chest.

Sirius's eyes flew very wide in shock and surprise. "You're not serious," he breathed disbelievingly. "You _cannot_ be serious!"

"Indeed I am," said James with a wide grin. "What wouldn't a Marauder do for a friend?" Then, with an even broader grin, he added, "Come on, Paddy. Surely you're not afraid of a little piece of clothing?"

* * *

It was quite some time later that Sirius had somehow mastered the art of dealing with a bra, and James had got many good laughs in the progress. At the moment, they were both sitting on James's bed, Sirius's hand again fumbling with the hooks of the bra fastened around James's chest. Both boys were trembling with suppressed laughter and their hair was muzzled by the occasional wrestling matches they'd taken on the floor.

Suddenly, their fun was interrupted. "Err... guys?" they heard a shocked voice from the doorway. Both boys froze, then raised their eyes very slowly to the intruder.

"Oh, hi, Peter!" piped Sirius, his cheeks - and most of the rest of his face - bright red in embarrassment. "We were just -- um --"

Peter shook his head slowly, his eyes very wide. "I have a feeling that I'd better not even ask what this is about." With that, he turned around and fled again from the dormitory.

* * *

The next chapter: **Transvestite Girlfriend?**

The day's not one of Remia's best. Not at all. First, she has problems with clothes, and then Slytherins are nasty.


	7. Transvestite Girlfriend

Disclaimer: I only own the plot and a "few" OC's here and there. Everything else is JKR's.

A/N: So, here it is, **Akasha**. Now, update _Save the Hybrid_! If you won't update it in a month, I will -- I will -- I will _delete_ this fic! Mwahahahaaa! ::evil laughter:: Update it! Now!

* * *

Switching Sides

Transvestite Girlfriend?

* * *

That morning, everyone's favourite werewolf woke to notice certain _additions_ and _lacks_ to his body.

Then, after his morning-groggy mind had got everything right, the no-more-werewolf realized that no, _she_ didn't lack anything, nor did she have anything in her body that didn't belong there. Instead, she had an invincible problem in front of her.

...To put it shortly, the bra. She didn't know how to put on the bra.

Everything else was easy, thank you very much. Of course she _had_ some issues about wearing a skirt while it'd been considered the most horrible mistake with clothes there was for her ever since she'd been born. However, even that was a tiny detail compared to her struggle to manage to wear her bra.

"Hook it in front of yourself, and then turn it around your chest," advised Lily amusedly after Remia'd struggled with the annoying piece of clothing for quite some time. As the small brunette did so, although not without some difficulty and a few futile attempts, the redhead asked with a giggle, "How on Earth did you manage to put it on yesterday?"

"Yeah, how?" inquired Juliet while brushing her hair. "_I've_ worn a bra for four years now, and it's still difficult sometimes. But I do not think it was that difficult to me even in the beginning!"

To their great surprise, Remia turned bright red, mumbling some unidentifiable words.

"What did you say?" asked Lily curiously. "I don't think we quite heard you."

"Professor McGonagall helped me with it," mumbled Remia, only a bit louder this time.

"Ooo-kay," murmured Juliet. "That was one mental image I do _not_ need."

"Hey, if you were a Slytherin, do you think Professor Snape would have helped you to dress up?" asked Sarah, her grey eyes twinkling with amusement.

All the other girls groaned aloud in disgust and began to throw stuff at her. "Do you _want_ to drive us insane?" whined Juliet, pouting.

"Like that took much effort," Sarah smirked, then dodged the pillow Lily aimed at her.

After a moment, they'd calmed down, at least a little. Remia managed to get her blouse on without much effort, and the school robes were of course easy. Then, however, she was in front of another trouble.

"Just leave it open," advised Sarah as she saw Remia standing in front of a mirror, a hair brush in her hand and a clueless expression on her face.

"No, put it on a ponytail," said Chloe, who was just doing that to her own midnight-black tresses. "Or pigtails! That'd be _so_ cute!"

"I'd say a braid," Juliet announced. "You looked good with the one I made yesterday. Why change something that works?"

Remia shot a desperate glance at Lily, who just laughed. "Leave it open," she said. "You have the whole school to face, I suppose you'd feel more comfortable the more familiar you are with yourself. And you used to always have your hair open as a boy, didn't you?"

"Familiar with myself, truly," mumbled Remia. "Never mind that I now have a completely different physique, hormones, and cognitive skills, not to mention genitalia. It's all my hair style that makes the difference."

They all laughed. Remia did, however, leave her hair open.

As it was Saturday, they didn't have to wear their school uniforms. Therefore, they all decided on a simple blouse and a skirt each. Remia's skirt was the same dark blue as the day before, and her blouse was blue as well. Lily had a black skirt and a light blue blouse, while Chloe had a white blouse and a yellow skirt, and Juliet and Sarah both settled on a light pink blouse and a red skirt. Thus dressed, they made their way to the Common Room, happily chattering all the way there.

In the Common Room they met the boys. James immediately went to Lily's side, while Sirius's movements to reach Remia's side were a bit more hesitant, but just as possessive. Chloe was paired up with Mickey White -- they'd dated for three months now -- while Sarah and Juliet decided to tease Peter all the way to the Great Hall, knowing full well that he was gay.

They didn't even get inside the Great Hall, however, as they were already stopped by a nasty voice. "What's this?" asked Thorn Spike, a sixth-year Slytherin. "Has Black finally broken up with his miserable excuse of a boyfriend?"

The old saying "Nomen est omen" was obviously invented for this boy, since Thorn Spike was definitely just like his name, both in character and appearance. He was short and slim, his features were pointy and his eyes sharp, and he had his hair sticking out on ridiculous spikes that were the same poison green hue as his eyes. There wasn't anybody nastier than he was, and even other Slytherins avoided him.

Sirius was immediately ready to attack the other boy, but Remia's hand on his arm stopped him. So, he just snapped back, "No, I haven't. As you can see, I'm still with Moony." And at this, he placed a soft kiss on Remia's temple, making her blush slightly.

Thorn sneered with a look of disgust on his face. "So now your boyfriend is a transvestite?"

"No," said Sirius simply. "She's my girlfriend."

For a moment, Thorn just stared at them. Other students started to gather around, watching curiously the scene. Then Thorn started to laugh, a nasty, sharp laugh. "Well, isn't that just _so_ fitting," he cackled. "Wanted to be a real bitch at last, eh, Lupin?"

Now, Sirius started to reach for his wand. However, he didn't even get it out of his pocket as a bolt of orange light already hit Thorn. When the light faded, everybody at first just stared at the Slytherin. Then they started to laugh. The boy now sported donkey ears on his head, the tail of the same animal, and _hoofs_.

"Now, what's happening here?" asked a sharp voice behind them. "Oh, my, _what_ happened to you, Mister Thorn?"

"He insulted Remia, Professor McGonagall," Peter told helpfully.

"And you charmed him, Mister Black?" inquired the Transfiguration Professor, turning towards Sirius and Remia. "Do I need to deduct points? You know very well that it is not allowed to use magic in the corridors!"

"What?" asked Sirius, putting on his best innocent look. "I did nothing inappropriate! I don't even have my wand out!" To prove this, he showed his empty hands.

"He did nothing, Ma'am," said Remia, also looking as innocent as she could. Like the other Marauders had to admit with slight envy, Moony's innocent face was even better now that she was female. And even before, almost every teacher had always fallen for it. "We honestly don't know who charmed Thorn."

"Very well," muttered Professor McGonagall. "As none of you --" a sharp glance included all Marauders, as well as Lily and her friends, into this statement, "-- has their wand out, I don't think you were guilty of that. Now, everybody, go to the breakfast. And Mister Thorn, I do believe you'd better head to the Infirmary." With this said, she rushed to the Great Hall, as well as most of the students gathered around -- including Chloe and Mickey.

As soon as Thorn had limped away -- it was seemingly not easy to retain one's balance on hoofs -- Remia turned towards a side corridor with a broad smile. "Thank you, Severus," she said pleasantly as the lanky, dark-haired Slytherin came to sight.

After the Willow Incident, Dumbledore himself had assigned Remus and Snape a project where they had to work together. The purpose of this was to allow them work out their (rather remarkable) differences. Despite all doubts everyone had had about this plan, it had actually worked, making Remus and Snape something relative to friends. At the very least they nowadays stood each other's presence, and talked at times. The other Marauders tried to cope with the situation for Remus's sake.

Now, Snape eyed Remia appraisingly from head to toe. Then, he nodded slowly. "Impressive, how you always can find something new to shock people with, Lupin," he said coolly. "Although I have to say that you looked better before."

"Oh?" Remia raised an eyebrow, acting insulted. "And what's wrong with me now, may I ask?"

"Oh, nothing in particular," the Slytherin replied, waving his hand dismissively in the air. "You're just a tad too... _female_ for my tastes."

"Merlin help us, Snape's _gay_," laughed Sirius. "So, all this time I've been worried that you'd try hitting on Remia, and now you tell that it's more possible that you hit on _me_?"

"That's not any more possible," Snape sneered. "I've never been too fond on dark-haired troublemakers."

"So it doesn't bother you that you don't have a reflection?" asked Sirius cheekily.

The Slytherin gave Sirius an icy glare. "For your information, Black, I am _not_ a vampire. Why it is that you draw those blood-sucking creatures into every conversation? Some hidden fetish you don't dare to express to your lover openly, maybe?"

The girls, James, and Peter just sighed and rolled their eyes as they listened to the bickering continue. Remia, however, wasn't watching her boyfriend verbally fight with another one of her friends. Her eyes were locked at Peter, who had had the oddest look for a moment as Snape had mentioned not liking dark-haired guys.

'_I truly wonder if not..._' Remia mused to herself. '_I truly wonder_.' She then turned around to whisper her observations to Lily, who then glanced also at Peter. The short boy had his eyes firmly locked at the fighting boys -- or, more exactly, at Snape.

"Oh, my dear god," whispered Lily. "He cannot be --" They exchanged amused glances, then started to laugh. As the others gave them weird glances, they just smiled sweetly and innocently.

"We have to tell Sarah and Juliet," whispered Lily then to Remia's ear. "Then we can start matchmaking!"

Remia nodded eagerly. She loved matchmaking. Hadn't it been she who'd got Lily and James together at the first point?

Even though her morning had been the most dreadful ever, things were certainly looking up now.

* * *

The next chapter (if I cannot think of anything even more insane): **Sex Ed**  
Madam Pomfrey informs Remia about certain facts in every girl's life, and Sirius's questions for James have all but ended.  



	8. Sex Ed

Disclaimer: None of this is mine.

A/N: ::threatening glare at Akasha:: _Eight_ chapters... Soon, very soon...

::sheepish grin:: Like some had noticed, the girls talked about Professor Snape. So, Severus Snape Senior is their DADA teacher (oh, the irony) while Severus Snape Junior is a student. Savvy?

Now, this chapter turned out a lot longer than I originally planned, but, well, I don't think you will protest, now will you?

Oh, and to **hipa**, in case you don't read Like Father, Like Son: Kylla, olen itse asiassa suomalainen. Sina arvatenkin olet myos.

* * *

Switching Sides 

Sex Ed

* * *

The lessons that day were mostly spent by both students and teachers gawking at Remia's new form. Like her former male self, the girl felt a bit uneasy about all the extra attention centred on her, especially when not all reactions were very kind. With her friends' and especially Sir's support, however, she managed to make it through the day without having a nervous breakdown. 

Their last lesson was Advanced DADA. Remia carefully settled on the seat between Sirius and Severus, hoping that sitting next to the Slytherin would lessen the danger of being cut by Professor Snape's undeniably sharp tongue a bit. Severus, of course, realized what she was trying to do, and smirked.

"Don't worry," said Severus quietly, leaning towards her from his own seat. "I've told him to leave my friends in peace. And yes, that does include you."

"Thanks," murmured Remia, flushing slightly. She'd noticed that the older Snape hadn't been as nasty to her and her friends after she'd befriended Severus, sure, but she hadn't known that her friend himself had said anything to his father. But, she was grateful.

"Now, be quiet," snapped the professor as he walked to the front f the classroom. With a glance at the nervous once-boy-now-girl, he added snidely, "How _nice_ to see that you decided to join us at last, _Miss_ Lupin. I notice you decided to let your female side out in the sight at last. Let's just hope that now that you have a female body and appearance, you won't sink mentally to the state of an average male student. We have enough dunderheads as it is, we certainly don't need _you_ to change your psychic gender as well as your physic one."

Remia blushed again. Professor Snape, even though he'd hit it very well, had actually paid her a compliment. Sure, if she'd still been a boy, somebody saying that he had a girl's mind would have been rather insulting, but as she was a girl now, she'd only been complimented by putting her above "an average male student". Especially when the person paying her the compliment was male himself.

Of course, the boys didn't like this statement, and they scowled at the teacher. Severus, however, merely rolled his eyes. Obviously he didn't consider himself "an average male student". Well, on that he was right --he most certainly wasn't average, not by any means.

During the lesson, however, Remia paid attention halfly on Severus, halfly on Peter. This was the first lesson that day she could observe them both together on the same lesson. Severus was just as indifferent as usual, keeping his gaze firmly on his father except for a couple of quick glances and whispers to Remia herself. Peter, however, kept giving careful glances to Severus every time he thought nobody would see it. The diagnosis was clear: Pete-boy was in love. Now Remia and the other girls only had to find out whether or not Severus returned those feelings. And if he did, a beautiful romance was right around the corner -- with some help from the local matchmakers, of course.

The teacher's voice suddenly startled her from her musings. "Miss Lupin, Madam Pomfrey would like to see you after the lesson," Professor Snape said. "And as we still have some time before the lesson ends and you have to head to the Infirmary, could you maybe enlighten us by telling three ways to effectively kill a werewolf?"

The other Marauders glared at the teacher, and even Severus frowned at his father, who was smirking. Maybe he wouldn't be openly nasty, but he seemingly wasn't going to be too nice, either.

Remia, however, forced herself to stay calm. She was not a werewolf anymore. She was _not_. Therefore, the professor's question wasn't equal to him demanding her to tell three ways to commit suicide, what it would have been just a couple of days before.

"The three most effective ways to kill a werewolf are beheading, silver, and fire," she told with a monotonous voice. Maybe she wasn't a werewolf anymore, but she had been one for eleven years.

"And what about a simple Killing Curse?" Snape Senior asked, still smirking. "Why wouldn't that work as well?"

"Werewolves are almost completely immune to those, as they are to most of other curses. Therefore, Avada Kedarva would prove insufficient."

"Excellent. Five points to Gryffindor."

This raised not a few eyebrows. Their DADA professor, who was also the Head of Slytherin House, was known to give points to Gryffindor very rarely, if ever. "Trying t save his hide," Severus whispered to Remia.

"And does he manage to do that?" asked the girl back, relaxing a bit.

Severus shook his head with a smirk. "Nay," he said. "Now I'm mad at him both for being nasty to you and giving points to your House."

Remia giggled, and then started to gather her things as the lesson was just about to end. As she started to exit the classroom along with the others, Severus asked, "Do you mind if I walk you to the Infirmary? I have to go to that direction anyway."

"Of course I won't mind," replied Remia lightly. Inside her mind she was squealing in delight. Now she could try to find out what Severus thought of Peter!

"So," she asked when they'd left the other students behind, "you said you don't like dark-haired guys. What hair colour do you prefer, then?"

"Dirty blond," replied Severus, sounding almost careless. However, as she knew him, Remia knew that he was watching every word very closely.

"Like Peter's?" she asked in an attempt to be sly -- an attempt she knew to be very transparent. But, that was the best way to make Severus tell the truth.

"Yes, like your tiny friend's," replied Severus, rolling his eyes. "Stop trying to be cunning, Lupin. I can see right through you. Why don't you get right to the point and ask whether I'm interested in him? It's rather obvious, considering that you were staring at us both in turns through the class."

Now Remia flushed. Sure, she'd meant to be a bit transparent to trick Severus into talking, but she for sure hadn't known that she'd been _that_ obvious. "I could help you," she said sheepishly.

"Help me? How? If in matchmaking, thanks, but no thanks. I definitely do not need a Gryffindor to try to arrange my love life," laughed Severus.

"I could help you to sort out your feelings," she still tried to convince him. However, she already knew that she'd lost the battle.

"I know perfectly well what I feel for Peter Pettigrew," the Slytherin replied calmly. "And that," he added, as Remia opened her mouth, "is absolutely none of your business."

"Spoilsport," she muttered, then concentrated on getting to the Infirmary.

On the door of the Infirmary they parted ways. Remia drew a deep breath, then stepped inside.

Madam Pomfrey was already waiting for her. "Ah, my dear," she said with a warm smile. "Come in, please."

"Professor Snape said you wanted to see me," Remia said, putting her bag on the floor next to her seat.

"Yes, I did mention that to dear Severus," the mediwitch replied happily. "Or should I say the older Severus. Anyway, what I wanted to talk with you about is how exactly your life will change now that these certain... arrangements... have been made."

Remia nodded, waiting for her to continue. If this was about her gender, she certainly wouldn't say a word, it was embarrassing enough as it was.

"So. At first, the werewolf factor." Poppy looked her right in the eye, then continued, "As you know, you will no more transform. This is because the Lycanthropy genes always specialize on the person they're inflicted on at the moment of the curse being transferred. They fit then exactly this person, and nobody else. As you have gone through a drastic change, but there's no the magic of the curse's spreading to help the harmful genes to adjust themselves to your new body, they're led to self-destruction. However, as some of those might still remain, you won't be able to return to your male self anymore. Some of your lycanthropic traits will remain, though."

Remia nodded, knowing all of this already. Then she asked the question bothering her most, "Am I still allergic to silver?" Her mother had, optimistic as ever, sent her some wonderful silver jewellery, but she was yet to touch them in fear of hurting herself.

"No, thankfully," Poppy cleared her fears. "That was a direct consequence of the Lycanthropy genes, as those were just what the silver harmed. However, your senses, for example, will still be better than a usual human's, even though not as good as before. You'll still be a bit stronger than an ordinary girl of your age. Those are all, even though consequences of those genes, changes they made to your body while adjusting themselves to your being. By time, your senses and strength have grown to be a part of you in a way that the Lycanthropy genes could never have been."

As Remia nodded again, this time not saying anything, Poppy smiled broadly. "Would you maybe still want to ask something before I go to the more embarrassing parts?" she asked teasingly.

After thinking for a moment, Remia blurted, "Where could I find a bra that's easy to put on?" She regretted her words as soon as they'd left her mouth, but as she then looked at Poppy, she noticed that maybe she hadn't put her foot completely into it.

"If you ever tell one that never causes problems, inform me immediately," the mediwitch laughed. "That would be the redemption of all women alive. However, if you are having problems, which is only understandable, it might help if you owled your mother and asked her to send you a bra with the clasps on the front, those are usually a bit easier." Then her voice took an even more maternal tone. "Now, Remia," she started, "I take it you know about birds and bees, right?"

Blushing more than slightly, Remia nodded. "Both about a boy and a girl together, and two boys together," she said almost too quietly to be heard.

Poppy smiled. "Understandable," she chuckled. "Anyway, you are a sensible person, I trust you not to do anything you don't know of. You do know that the contraception charms are different for a girl than for a boy?"

"Of course I know," Remia said, blushing even more. "Lily has already taught me those." In the Wizarding World, it was not unheard of for a man to get pregnant, as wizards had certain internal organs that Muggle men did not have. However, if you tried to prevent the pregnancy with spells, you had to use different spells on a man than on a woman, as the child wasn't conceived exactly the same way with them.

"Good for you, as I don't have to embarrass you by lecturing about that," the Matron said good-heartedly. "As long as you remember to use them, of course." Then her smile got even broader. "Say, Remia," she started slowly, her eyes twinkling in a way that reminded her horribly of the Headmaster, "do you know what it's like to have a period?"

Now her face was red as fire. "Annoying, from what I've heard," she muttered quietly. "Painful to some."

"And on that you're right," Poppy replied. "I won't go to the exact technics -- on that, you can trust on your dormmates or the school library to save us both from further embarrassment -- but I would like to tell you about PMS and menstruating pains." At the former werewolf's very timid nod, she continued, "Most women have a Pre-Menstrual Syndrome from one to fourteen days before their period. You're already familiar with some of its symptoms, as it's rather similar to the Pre-Moonyal Syndrome you've gone through every month until now. Some don't notice PMS at all, and some have it worse when they're older. Some, however, have it all -- headaches, backaches, stomachaches, tantrums, mood swings, water weight, odd cravings, you name it. These usually go away when your period starts. And then, there are the menstruating pains -- stomach ache is the most usual kind. Again, some don't even notice it, but there are not a few students whom I excuse from lessons every month because they simply can't even sit upright, they're in so much pain."

Remia nodded, now very pale instead of blushed. She had a bad presentiment that she would have it _bad_.

"Usually, even the worst menstruating pains get easier when you've got your first child, but I'm afraid that if you have it bad, you have to stand it until then. Oh, and you must not forget the possible headaches during ovulation..."

Now, Remia swallowed. This did _not_ sound good...

* * *

 "You want to _what_?" James stared at his best friend in disbelief. 

"What's so hard about it to understand?" asked Sirius, flushing slightly. "I want you to teach me the contraception charms used for a girl. Don't pretend you don't know them -- as if I didn't know you and Lily are shagging like little bunnies at every chance. You know perfectly well I spent that part of our Sex Ed lessons snogging with Moony in the back corner."

"Yeah, I do know," James muttered, shaking his head slightly. "You didn't stop until Madam Pomfrey asked in her overly sweet manner whether you'd sure taken care of contraception..." With a sigh, he said, "Very well. Now, get your wand and come over here."

* * *

The next chapter: No faintest idea... 


	9. PMS and Pregnancy

Disclaimer: Nope, I own nothing.

A/N: Thraumatic experiences involving a bra? ::snickers:: Nope... But honestly, can any woman claim they haven't at least once been awake too early/too late and tried half-asleep to fumble with the bra to get it either on or off? I swear, if I got a cent for every time I've attached those clasps wrong 'cause I'm not awake enough, I would be the richest girl I know of...

No, I haven't noticed being more horny than usually in PMS (unless reading more PWPs than usually counts) but I've heard that some do. And yes, I have indeed cried over the Mama Cat and her little kittens finding new homes for themselves. I just had to keep from sniffling too loudly -- I was reading that particular story to some of my little siblings. Being female sucks sometimes.

* * *

Switching Sides 

PMS and Pregnancy

* * *

"Awww, that was cute," chirped Juliet, closing the book she had in her lap. "All ended so happily and well! I'm so happy!" 

"What book is it?" asked Lily curiously. As Juliet showed her the cover of a fairytale book, she smiled. "Oh, so you've got to fairytales in Muggle studies. Yeah, they tend to be very cute, at least more so than the Wizarding ones."

"Don't remind me about those," Juliet muttered. "I have to compare this Muggle one with some Wizarding fairytale, but I'm not really willing to read about all those betrayals and murders!" Truly, Wizarding fairy tales tended to be pretty dark.

"Oh, let me see that," Remia said, plopping down on Juliet's bed next to her. In the month and half she had already spent as a girl, she'd got pretty friendly with her dorm mates. It still taunted her that they hadn't gotten any further about putting Peter up with Severus, but you could never have everything, right?

Starting to flip through the colourful pages of the Muggle book, she smiled. If you didn't care about the Grimm brothers -- who were Squibs anyway, she'd heard -- Muggle fairytales were truly very cute. Well, aside from the occasional cruelness against wolves, but that could be dealt with. This one, however, was merely a description of a couple of happy kittens and their life.

Halfway through the book, Remia found herself in tears -- not for sorrow, no, but because the story was just too happy and cute. The kittens were healthy and happy, and the sun shone to everyone, and everybody found a nice home in the end. '_Damn_,' she thought to herself. '_I'm really too oversensitive_.' As soon as she'd thought about that, she froze.

The previous month, she'd found herself in tears or giggling with joy over the most trivial of things. Always in the deepest valleys of sorrow or just too giddy to care about anything, she'd almost driven all her male friends crazy. The other girls, however, hadn't seemed to care much.

And a week after that, she'd got the first period in her life...

"Does anybody have any idea," she asked, trying in vain to wipe away the tears that just continued to fall, "how long it is to the Day of D?" No, not the Day of Doom. The Day of Dot.

"Unless my calendar is badly off, about a week or so," replied Chloe offhandedly, not raising her eyes from her Transfiguration textbook. "I've had the worst headache since Tuesday, so I guess that's about it. Why do you ask?"

"Because," Remia said, shutting the book loudly, "I'm currently crying because a little, cute kitty just found a nice home to herself at last, and now all Mama Cat's children are grown up!" She shook her head in exasperation. "This is one thing I'll never get used to about being a female," she muttered, glaring at the tiny kittens on the cover of the book.

"Don't say that," Lily said, laughing. "You have no idea what it can be, you're only experiencing it for the second time. It can be the hell at times, true," she admitted, "but I really do not mind _certain_ symptoms."

"Meaning that she doesn't mind her unusually high sex drive," muttered Juliet while frowning at the cover of a Wizarding fairytale book, not opening it. "Not that James would mind, either."

Now, Remia blushed. Yes, she had noticed certain things changing in herself regarding that part of her relationship with Sirius, fair enough, but she never could have been as blunt about it as Juliet. Well, Juliet never was one to hesitate much about anything.

Of course, the other girls all startled giggling. "Awww," giggled Sarah, "Remia's _blushing_! I wonder whether that particular symptom is familiar to her, too..."

At this, Remia hurried out of the dormitory. Not to escape them, however, but to find Sirius.

* * *

It wasn't often that Sirius suddenly found his arms full of a giggling girlfriend. Well, actually, it was rather often, but at least it was very rare when he was just sneaking through the corridors to pull a prank. "Remia," he breathed, not wanting to be heard. "What the hell are you doing?" 

The brunette pouted. "I'm hugging you," she replied lightly. "Why don't you like it?"

"'Cause I'm currently in the middle of pulling a prank, that's why," said Sirius back. "And because Jamesie will kill me if I manage to blunder this one."

"Aww, stuff the prank," Remia replied lightly. "It isn't like you haven't pulled enough already." And with this, she dragged her protesting boyfriend away. Well, not so protesting after he realized they were heading towards the nearest broom closet. Once they got there, things got -- well, naughty.

...Only that Sirius forgot something. More precisely, he wasn't quite concentrated on the fact that he should have used a different contraception charm now that Remia was a girl. So, out of old habit, he casted the one meant for interaction between two boys. They were both too excited to notice anything out of ordinary.

Bad, bad Sirius.

* * *

It was early on Saturday morning as Severus Snape made his way towards a particular boy's toilet. He was going to meet a very particular person there, as it was too early yet that they'd be disturbed. His boyfriend had sent a message that he had something to tell to him, and Severus was curious to hear what it would be. 

However, when he entered the toilet, all he could see was a Gryffindor with dirty blond hair, kneeling and, well, retching. Seemingly the boy did not feel well.

"Pettigrew?" he asked hesitantly. As there was no answer, he crossed the toilet floor to the other teen. "Hey, Peter, what's wrong?" he asked softly.

"...I hate you," muttered Peter after a moment of silence. "I hate you," he said then again, this time sounding a bit more confident. "This is all your fault."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Well, it hardly is my fault if you've caught a stomach bug," he replied levelly. "Or do you perhaps claim that it's sexually transferrable?" he added dryly.

"This is not a stomach bug," whispered Peter. "Not at all." Then, before he could say anything else, he was again retching into the bowl. Severus sighed, kneeling down next to him, rubbing slowly the smaller boy's back.

At last, Peter seemed to get his stomach a bit under control. He leant a bit awkwardly back against Severus, allowing the taller teen to wrap his arms around his shoulders.

"And now," Severus said calmly, like he wasn't just doing something most of people would have thought impossible to him, like showing human feelings, "explain. Why exactly do you hate me? And how on Earth could your undeniably miserable condition be my fault?"

"I said already, it's not a stomach bug," replied Peter tiredly. "And this bloody well is your fault." At this, the Slytherin raised an eyebrow. It wasn't often that Peter swore. "This is your fault because," the Gryffindor continued, "as I haven't slept with anybody else but you, and as I still am pregnant, it's quite fucking obvious that you are the other father of the child that's making me sick."

Now, Severus froze. After a moment of awkward silence, he managed to utter, "...You're pregnant?" It was like his usually so sharp mind couldn't quite grasp on the fact.

"Either it's that, or I shall get Madam Pomfrey sacked for lying to a student on such a crucial topic," Peter said in a sarcastic manner that reminded Severus very much of himself. Most probably it'd been he where Peter had learnt it from, anyway. "Besides, I feel ill in the mornings, I tire easily, I eat odd foods. I'm the classic exemplar of a pregnant person."

"Merlin." For a moment, that was all Severus could force out of his mouth. At last, however, he said, very quietly, "What on Earth are we going to do?"

Peter sniffed. "I don't know..." he muttered. "She told me to decide whether I'm keeping it as soon as possible, and tell her my decision by the end of the week."

"Salazar. Look, Peter, I'm sorry, really." It was rarely that Severus apologized to anyone, never, to be precise, but he felt that now was as good time to start as any. "What do you want to do about it?" he then asked quietly, hugging the other boy against himself.

"I don't know," replied Peter again, his voice a bit muffled as he pressed his face against the front of his boyfriend's robes. "I know I'm too young, and my parents certainly will not like it, but still..." He sniffled, then finished, "I just don't think it'd be right to terminate it."

"Then you don't have to." Wiping some of the dirty blond hair away from the other boy's forehead, he continued, "Look, Peter, I can't promise you much. A lot depends on our parents, and how they'll take this. But whatever happens, I'll be there for you, okay?" He turned his boyfriend's head around to look him in the eye, obsidian orbs examining the pale blue ones.

"Thanks, Severus..." Peter sniffled. Then he said, "If I'm keeping it, though, we'll have to come out to the public. You do know that, don't you?"

Severus rolled his eyes towards the ceiling. "Well, that'd at least put an end to Remia's attempts on matchmaking," he said, attempting to get a light tone into his voice. "She's noticed that you're interested in me, but is yet to discover whether I'm interested in you."

"Well, that does sound like her," Peter said with a weak smile. "Would explain the weird glances I've got from the girls lately, though..."

"Well, do not worry about it now," Severus said then firmly. "You need to be calm, do you hear me? Distress will only harm the baby." With a smirk, he then added, "Now, as my father is the nearest of our parents around, what do you think, should we tell him first?"

"You must be kidding," Peter sighed. "Most probably he'll kill me for being knocked up by his precious son!"

"Oh, stop exaggerating," huffed the Slytherin, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling. "Look, I know he's playing all cold and bastardly to the outside, but in reality, he's just a big softy. If I give him the puppy eyes, he won't say a bad word about you, us, or our baby."

"Puppy eyes? _You?_" echoed Peter disbelievingly. "You know, Severus, as much as I love you, I will _not_ believe that you are capable of making puppy eyes!" As the Slytherin immediately gave him a demonstration, big, bright black eyes shining through the strands of black hair that fell to the pale face, Peter groaned and closed his eyes. "Okay, okay, I believe! Just stop it, right now!"

"Fine." Severus returned his expression to his usual indifference. "What about we go to breakfast now?"

"Breakfast?" Peter echoed, his stomach lurching at the mere mention of food. Then, not waiting for Severus's response, he again turned to worship the porcelain gods.

Severus sighed, rolled his eyes, and started to rub the smaller boy's back again.

* * *

A/N: Yes, I just had to throw Sev and Peter in. What? You didn't know they were together already? Well, that's your bad... 

Next chapter: Severus Senior finds out that he's going to be a grandfather, and Poppy's announcement shocks Remia. A lot.


	10. Parental Discussions

Disclaimer: I own very little.

A/N: **Akasha**, I'm really beginning to lose my patience...

Oh, and please visit _The Memory Room_, the link is on my profile page!

* * *

Switching Sides 

Parental Discussions

* * *

There was a knock on the door of the DADA Professor's quarters. Standing up from the couch, the man walked to the door and opened it. He wasn't surprised as he saw his son standing on the other side of the door. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Well, what is it now?" 

"Well," said his son, walking to the room with just as much confidence as only a Slytherin and a Snape could ever have, "I just have some information you'd probably like to have."

"Really?" asked the professor, now raising his both eyebrows, while he at the same time closed the door. "It wouldn't be about your homework, is it? Your essay is late already!"

The younger Severus raised an eyebrow in a gesture very similar to that of his father's. "I just thought that you'd maybe rather be informed of the fact that you're going to be a grandfather," he said quite calmly. "Before it becomes public knowledge, I mean."

"WHAT!" Now, the older Severus could do little but to just stare at his son. The teen met his gaze without batting an eyelid. For a moment, he stood under the other's gaze while the DADA Professor couldn't do anything but just gape at him, his eyes wide.

"I have a boyfriend," Severus the younger continued then. "And, due to an unfortunate mistake at some undefined point of time, he is now pregnant. He's going to keep it, and I'm not leaving him." With this, he gave his father a gaze far firmer than any he'd ever before shot to him.

"Of course," muttered the said father, now shaking his head, looking almost exhausted. "I should have known that one day, you would bring me this news. I just knew it." With a sigh, he then added, "Fine, stay with him. Have a child. Marry him, even, if you're enough of a man or even a boy to do that. But please, do at least tell me who it is you've set your eyes on."

Severus did not budge an inch. "His name is Peter Pettigrew," he said calmly. "And I love him."

"Love?" echoed his father sharply. "That's a strong word, Son. How can you say that, and even be sincere, as you seem to be? You are too young to tell true love from a passing fancy."

"No, I am not," the teen argued. "I know that I love Peter. I'm in love with him. And you know what? There's not a thing you can do about it. We're maybe young, but we are going to have that child, and we will take good care of it. And yes, if he accepts, we will even get married. You should be proud of me, Father. A Pureblood son-in-law isn't that more than what you ever wished for? After all, you've often said that you'd be surprised if I ever managed to even produce a bastard to carry on the Snape name, leave alone a legitimate child!"

Severus Senior shook his head tiredly. "You know that I love you, Severus," he said quietly. "True, I might have said harsh things, but in the end, I do love you. I'm not the best of fathers, and I know it very well, so please, don't rub it on my face. At least I'm trying my best."

Now, Severus Junior smirked. "You see, Peter?" he asked from seemingly thin air. "He's not that bad in the end. And you can come to the sight now, anyway."

Both his father and hidden boyfriend were shocked to hear this. However, after a moment of hesitation, Peter lowered the hood of the Invisibility Cloak, revealing his head to the other two people in the room, then took the cloak off. Now, the DADA Professor was visibly startled.

"You you let him come in here?" he asked harshly. "You let him come here and _spy_ on me?"

At this, Severus Junior wrapped his arms possessively around his boyfriend's waist and glared challengingly at his father over Peter's head. "Peter was scared because you always come out as such a bastard," he snapped. "Why couldn't I have shown him that you're not that bad?"

For a moment, Severus Senior just watched them both. He saw the fire in his son's obsidian eyes, the determined line of his lips, and the arms wrapped protectively around his boyfriend's waist. Just as well, he saw Peter, the small teen's face pale, his expression startled, but no less determined than Severus Junior's. They were going to keep their child, and nothing would stop them not even the nasty and intimidating DADA Professor.

After a moment, the professor just sighed and shook his head. "Sit down, both of you," he said. "I do believe that we have not a few things to discuss right now."

* * *

Remia frowned as she glanced down the Gryffindor table. She hadn't seen Peter for the whole day, and neither had any of her friends. This was surprising, as Peter usually always stayed close to them like Remia suspected, this was because he had best chances of running into Severus that way. But now, nobody had seen Peter anywhere, and it was dinnertime already. 

Hey, wait a minute. She hadn't seen Severus anywhere, either, now had she? And a quick glance towards the Head Table told that Severus Senior wasn't present, either.

Just then, the door to the Great Hall was opened once again. As she turned to look there, she saw at first Severus Senior indeed walking in. Behind the DADA Professor, however, he saw Peter and Severus Junior, who were walking _hand_ _in hand_. Peter looked rather pale, while Severus had just his usual paleness, but they were both smiling. This was probably what startled Remia most. It was rare that Severus smiled and he definitely did not smile when he was walking with somebody who obviously was his boyfriend under a thousand pairs of eyes.

By the time the two teens parted from the professor and started to make their way towards the Gryffindor table, most of the school was already looking at them curiously. When they finally came over and calmly sat to the two empty chairs next to the Marauders, everybody was watching. What exactly was a Slytherin doing in the Gryffindor table?

"Err... Snape?" asked James warily. "What exactly do you think you are doing?"

Now, Severus Junior turned towards him, smirking. "Ah, Mr. Potter," he said smoothly. "Allow me to introduce you to my fiancé," he pointed at Peter, "and our to-be-firstborn child." At this, he pointed at Peter's stomach. The small boy flushed slightly, but didn't protest.

This, of course, made everybody in the table gasp in shock and surprise. "You you are pregnant?" asked Lily from Peter, who flushed again and nodded.

"You were already together?" shrieked Remia. "And you didn't tell me!"

"Why should we have told you?" drawled her Slytherin friend. "You were having such great time with your futile attempts at matchmaking. It would have been such a pity to spoil your fun."

"You you you nasty person!" Remia fumed. "If you had just told me, it'd been easier to us all! I could have been happy, and you could have been happy without me trying to push you together! Why on Earth didn't you tell anybody?"

"Remia," Severus said, rolling his eyes, "if you think about it another time, you'll know why we didn't tell anyone." And truly, Remia soon realized their reason for that. Everybody was staring at them and whispering. Poor Peter was blushing all the time, clearly uneasy, and although Severus didn't let it show, Remia could tell that he was just as uneasy as his boyfrie _fiancé_.

She shook her head in wonder. It seemed that the Marauders could never do it the usual way.

* * *

Time passed, like it often does. To be exact, a week went past. But, while other girls started to complain about stomach cramps, aches, and other all-too-well-known symptoms, Remia found none of those. Then, one morning, she found herself in the bathroom, throwing up violently. 

As she at last got up on shaky feet, Lily was standing in the doorway of the bathroom, looking very pale. "Remia?" she asked carefully. "Remia, what's wrong?"

"I don't know," the brunet girl muttered weakly. "But I have a bad feeling. And if it turns out to be true, I will kill Sirius." At this, Lily blinked, then paled even further.

"...Do you think you could be pregnant?" she whispered.

"Well, if I'm not, then I certainly don't know what this could be," muttered Remia. "My period's late, and now I have morning sickness. Oh, no, I'm not pregnant just a bit down."

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, my friend," Lily said. "And now, get to Madam Pomfrey while I wallow in self-pity because of my aching stomach."

* * *

"But how can this be?" asked Sirius, dumbfounded. He was currently pacing the Infirmary, his face pale, Madam Pomfrey watching him closely and Remia glaring at him. "I'm absolutely certain that I've used contraception every time we've " At this, he blushed and shut up. 

"Sirius," asked the mediwitch quite calmly, "there isn't any chance you could have casted the wrong charm on an accident, is there?" She gave him a knowing glance.

A slight flush started to spread onto Sirius's face. "It it could be possible," he muttered.

"WHAT?" Remia screeched. "You you irresponsible _brat_! This is your fault, entirely your fault! I hate you, Sirius Black! It's _only_ your fault that I'm pregnant!"

"As much as I usually like to disagree with claims such as that," Madam Pomfrey said, "now I have to say that Remia is as correct on this as anybody can ever be. If you casted the wrong charm, even though you should have known the correct one, it is indeed your fault not only yours, it takes two to make a baby, but most of it is indeed your fault."

"Fine," sighed Sirius, throwing his arms dramatically into the air. "Gang up against me! I'm male, so why should anybody care about me?" Despite his act, he was now really confused, and a bit scared. He had no idea what they should do. There was no way he could force Remia to abort; it was the girl's own choice entirely. But they were no more than sixteen, for Merlin's sake! They were far too young to have a child, no matter what the circumstances!

"Well?" asked Madam Pomfrey just then, as if having read his thoughts. "Are you keeping it?"

Now, Remia bit her lip. A second before she'd been enraged; now she seemed to be on the verge of tears. "I I don't know," she whispered. "We are so young; how could we have a child? But I don't, no, I _can't_ abort it. It wouldn't be right."

"Well," said Sirius then bravely, walking up to her and putting a hand on her shoulder, "if Peter and Snape can manage it, then surely we can, too?" As Remia glanced up at him, he gave her a comforting smile. "It's your decision," he said softly. "Whatever you decide, I'll support you."

"I -" Remia drew a deep breath, then said, "I am going to keep it."

* * *

Next chapter: 

I don't know. Maybe not anything, in case Akasha doesn't update StH.


	11. No Regrets

Disclaimer: I own very little.

A/N: This is the last chapter of this fic. I thank you all for bearing with me this far. Let this be a proof that I always finish my fics, eventually. (Lately, there have been some doubtful statements concerning that fact.)  
This chapter could have probably been better, but this is the way it turned out.

* * *

Switching Sides 

No Regrets

* * *

The life in the Marauders' dorm room was not very easy the next months. In fact, it was anything but easy. With a boy having morning sickness and, being indeed male and thus affected by the hormones much more than Remia, severe mood swings, the other occupants were in a rather problematic situation. Sean actually requested -- and received -- a transfer to another dormitory. James, however, figured that Peter would kill him for "abandoning" his friend, and for obvious reasons Sirius felt obligated to stay, too. After all, he couldn't be there to support Remia all the time, so at least he could act as a stand-in for Severus and try to take care of Peter. So, they both had to bear a lot of angry words, bitching, and general abuse of physic, psychic, and emotional kind alike. 

"I'm getting even fatter than before," Peter whined one day, looking at his reflection. "Severus probably hates me already, I'm so ugly now. He just feels obligated to stay with me."

"You're anything but fat, Peter," James said in an attempt to reassure his friend. If he said anything bad, either Peter would get mad at him, or he would start crying and go to tell Severus. Neither possibility promised anything good for the continued state of health of one James Potter, so he decided to try to avoid them both. "You're just showing a bit."

"And there's no way Snape could hate you," Sirius added. "The guy absolutely worships you; you can see it in his eyes whenever he looks at you. I'm not even trying to understand just how you two ended up together, but I do know that he's really in love with you. You needn't worry."

"Of course I need to worry!" protested his indeed slightly chubby friend. "We're getting married next weekend, remember? I don't want to be married to somebody who doesn't really love me! I'm not going to marry just for some outdated sense of honour!"

Both Sirius and James blinked. Although with the mood swings they had begun to get used to a more moody Peter who both had strong opinions and wasn't afraid of showing them, it still sometimes caught them by surprise. They were simply so used to their fair-haired friend giving in easily that to have him standing up for his own beliefs was something really surprising. Of course they thought it was an improvement, but that didn't mean they couldn't be surprised at it.

"Look, I really don't think Snape's going to marry you just for the honour, either," James said, desperately trying to make Peter calm down. "I mean, just look at his father. I heard his parents were never married, she just had him and gave him to his father, who raised him alone. So, Snape most certainly wouldn't marry you just because of the kid. He has to _want_ to be married to you to actually go through with something like that!"

"Oh, Merlin, you're right!" Suddenly Peter's expression turned into a panicky one. "What if he doesn't want to go through with it? What if he backs out of it at the last minute! I don't want him to leave me! I'd never be able to get over it if he left me! Merlin, _help me_!"

Sighing, James and Sirius exchanged desperate glances. 'Get Snape,' James mouthed to Sirius. The Grim Animagus simply nodded, then hurried to leave the dormitory while James did his best to make Peter calm down even a tiny bit. Unfortunately, he wasn't making much success.

* * *

"So how are they going to get married?" asked Lily, puzzled. "I mean, they're both still sixteen, right?" She looked from one of her friends to another with a look of confusion. 

"Wizarding laws are different from the Muggle ones," Remia told her. "We still write with quills, like you well know. Just as well nobody has ever thought about updating the laws concerning the proper age for marriage, which results at the possibility of even two fifteen-year-old people marrying each other. Of course, it is very rare -- extremely so -- but in situations such as this it is indeed used. Sirius and I probably are going to get married soon, too," she added then. "Not that we care about that much, ourselves, but my mother threw a fit at the thought of me having a child outside marriage. As for Sirius's parents, well, they are currently considering not killing me immediately if I ever step into their house, as I'm at least female and a witch. We'd rather not take any risks by making the first Black heir of the future generation illegitimate."

"Ooh!" gasped Juliet. "May we attend your wedding? Please?" Her blue eyes were shining.

"Well, I guess so," Remia chuckled. "It's going to be a rather small ceremony, though -- just us and our closest friends. Basically, that means you girls, the Marauders, and Severus -- maybe some of my relatives, too, but not many. I'll be showing well by the time we marry, so I'd rather not make it a public event." At this, she patted her still perfectly flat stomach.

"Aww," Chloe said with a smile. "What are you all going to do next year, anyway? Are you going to have the babies around at school?" she then asked curiously.

"Well... probably, if we are allowed to," Remia replied. "My mother offered to look after our baby, and Peter's mother promised the same for their child, but that's only the last resort. If it is in any way possible, we are going to look after our own kids. They're our responsibility."

"I think it's sweet how Sirius and Severus were both immediately ready to take the responsibility," Lily then said, smiling a bit. "It shows just how much they care for you."

"I think it's sweet, too," Remia chuckled. "Although I don't think they could have done it any other way. They're both from old Pureblood families which follow the age-old traditions. It's a matter of honour to them and their families; doing anything else would be unheard of."

"Well, whatever it is," Sarah said, "be grateful you're not left alone to be a single teen mother. Just imagine how hard your life would be then!"

Remia shuddered a bit as she thought about it. Oh, she was so very lucky to have Sirius.

* * *

"Calm down, Peter," James sighed. "Everything will be all right. Just in a minute Sirius will return and then you can ask Severus himself just how he feels about you." 

To his shock, the fair-haired boy indeed stopped his wailing in an instant. Instead, he watched James with an almost frightening gleaming look in his blue eyes. "You called him Severus," Peter said in total awe. "You actually called him Severus!"

James began to feel a bit uneasy. "Um... yeah, I did," he finally admitted. "What about it?"

"It means that you two are getting along!" the pregnant boy announced. "My friends and my fiancé are actually getting along! Oh, I'm so happy!" He was beaming by now. "This is all I've ever wished for, you know. I've got the perfect boyfriend -- my soon-to-be husband -- who I love more than anything, and wonderful friends who I love as well!"

"W-what?" sputtered James. "Did you just say that you -- love us?"

"Why, yes," Peter said, his beaming smile turning into a confused look. "So what?" Then he seemed to understand, and laughed. "Oh, don't worry, James," he said cheerfully. "I meant that I love you guys as friends. As for the other kind of love, you should know I only have eyes for Severus. I really really love him, you know -- I love him more than anything else."

"Yes, I do believe you said that already." Now, the bespectacled boy smiled warmly. "Well, in any case, I am happy for you. And I promise I'll try to get along better with Sn -- Severus if that makes you feel better," he then added cheerfully.

"Oh, thank you, James!" Peter exclaimed. "Thank you so very much!" In an instant he was hugging James, almost squeezing the living daylights out of him.

"Should I be jealous?" asked then a dry voice from the doorway. Severus and Sirius both stood there, watching the scene with looks of definite amusement on their faces.

Peter immediately released James from his embrace and rushed towards his fiancé. "Severus!" he exclaimed. "I can't believe you actually came here! I missed you so much!"

"Err... we saw each other on dinner," Severus said a bit awkwardly as he, too, was crushed in a gigantic hug. "Isn't this a bit too soon to actually miss me? It's not even time for supper yet!"

"But I did miss you!" Peter insisted. "And our baby missed you as well!"

"Oh, really?" Severus raised an eyebrow. "We can't have that, now can we. Guess I will have to request a transfer to the Gryffindor classes so that I can be with you and the baby."

"You'd do that?" asked Peter, his eyes wide with amazement. "Really? No kidding?"

"Of course, if that is what you want," the darkhaired boy replied calmly. "I'd do anything for you... even bear the Gryffindors' presence on every and each lesson I attend."

"Yay! I'm so happy!" squealed the pregnant boy. "I love you _so_ much, Severus!"

"I love you, too," replied Severus, wrapping his arms around his fiancé's waist. James and Sirius glanced at each other, then in silent agreement slipped out of the dormitory.

* * *

"Something wrong, Remia?" asked a quiet voice. The brunet girl turned to look at the person approaching her and smiled. She shook her head in a 'no' as Lily made her way nearer. 

"No, nothing is wrong," she told as her friend reached her side. They were now in one of the more secluded corners of the Common Room, practically alone as even the other areas were not very populated. "I was just thinking, that's all."

"Thinking about what?" asked Lily curiously, sitting down as well. "Let me guess. The baby?"

"Well, that too." Remia smiled as she put a hand on her still perfectly flat stomach. "Basically I was thinking about just how much my life has changed after I became a girl. I mean, it does have its drawbacks, and it's certainly been difficult to adjust to live as a girl, but..."

"But anything's better than Lycanthropy," Lily finished for her very quietly. As Remia nodded, she continued, "Well, what are the good sides of your female life?"

Now, Remia visibly brightened up. "Well, as the most important thing, nobody can disapprove of my relationship with Sirius now," she said. "Not that we'd cared much even before, but... Even his parents are now starting to accept me into the family, no matter how reluctantly. If Sirius had tried to marry a male werewolf, they'd most probably had us both assassinated." A brief, sad smile crossed her lips at that thought. "Of course, I also can now be pregnant without experiencing the problems Peter has to go through. Poor boy is simply not adjusted to female hormones, you see. If you think I'm having it bad, you've never seen _his_ morning sickness."

"I figure it might be bad, yes." Lily chuckled briefly, then smiled warmly at her now dearest friend. "So you don't regret it?" she asked with a hint of amusement in her voice along with the curiosity that definitely took place there. "Switching sides, I mean?"

For a moment, Remia was quiet. Then a wide smile spread on her face. "I never could."

* * *

A/N: And so ends the tale of Switching Sides. The Author thanks all readers for giving their attention to this little piece of fanwork and hopes to meet them again in relation to her other pieces of fanfiction. Also, she'd like to thank in advance all those who are going to take a minute of their time to leave a review. 

Thank you for reading this Eleonora fic; you're more than welcome to use our services again.


End file.
